"<p></p> <p>Barbarian rule is always followed by Byzantine rule. A kind of human, historical, law of the peculiar order of human nature dictates that the transition from crude invasion and conquest, from confusion to an over-refined, corrupt and contrived order, full of servile ceremonies, poison, murder and smooth talk, double-tilted, stuffy politeness and bowing cruelty. Such is man: sometimes barbarian, sometimes Byzantine. And sometimes, at very rare periods, under the educated rule of an extraordinary personality, who can reconcile the rigour of perfect law with the unwritten laws of equity, he is tamed into humanity; but these are rare and fleeting periods.</p>"